US to resume evacuation of Afghans staying overseas

KABUL (Pajhwok): US Department of Homeland Security has said that US will start shifting Afghans who are temporarily evacuated to the country’s military bases abroad.

Thousands of Afghans who had worked with foreigners were evacuated to foreign countries through Kabul International Airport after the fall of Kabul on August 15.

Some of these Afghans have reached to the US while a number of others are staying in other countries and waiting in camps for their turn to be moved to the US.

However, US Department of Homeland Security said that Afghans evacuated to EU and central Asian countries would be soon transported to US.

“OAW flights from staging areas will resume this week. Arriving eligible Afghans receive the MMR, varicella, polio, COVID-19, and other age appropriate vaccinations, as well as medical exams and health screenings, as a condition of their humanitarian parole,” a statement from US Homeland Security said.

More than 49,000 Afghan evacuees nationwide are now vaccinated and evacuees are also receiving vaccinations at staging areas in Europe and the Middle East, the source added.

This comes as New York Times in a report said that US military bases turned to refugee camps and around 53,000 Afghans who recently evacuated from Afghanistan are stationed in eight US bases.

The report said that no Afghan evacuees had the right to leave the base and it is said that they should stay there for two years until their documents accepted in the US.

mds